Relationship advice
by AniZH
Summary: Tori has a new boyfriend and she's very happy, though not everything is perfect all the time. When a relationship problem arises, she talks to Jade and Cat about it; and realizes that Jade actually has a somewhat working relationship for some years now and might know what she's talking about when she gives her advice.
1. Honesty

Welcome, everyone, in my new fic!  
I had this idea for some time now and finally sat down to write it as a present to the lovely alicheriee. Yes, this whole fic now is dedicated to you – I hope you like it.  
It will have five chapters, which will all be structured like this; mainly Jade and Tori talking, then a scene from the past between Jade and Beck, with the second part probably being longer most of the times (not here). An epilogue will follow, which will very likely be pretty short. And just to be clear: This fic is about Beck and Jade and their relationship, not really all that much about Tori.  
Have fun reading and feel more than welcome to tell me what you think. :)

* * *

Tori has a boyfriend for three months now. She loves him very much and actually can see her going the distance with him. His name is Mike, he's eightteen, just like her and they attend the same college in LA. They have met there and were instantly drawn to each other. He's a great guy, kind but mainly great fun.

Now, he wants her to meet his parents though and she doesn't feel ready for it yet. She has met the parents of almost all of her ex-boyfriends way sooner, but they have also still lived with their parents and it just randomly happened. Mike was born and raised in a small town not too far from Los Angeles and he lives with a few friends in the city to study. He wants to take her home with him one weekend and introduce her to his parents and it just sounds so official. She has never understood before in movies why people didn't feel ready to meet someone's parents. Now, she somehow feels grown-up herself and like this is a big deal, a very big step in their relationship. Which she herself considers awful because she still lives with her parents and her boyfriend has long met them and sees them all the time. She can't tell him how weird she feels about meeting his parents now. It would be unfair to push it back, wouldn't it be? And maybe, she will feel more comfortable about it in a month – that's the time, Mike has planned it for.

She talks about it with Jade and Cat when they sleep over one night. Their group of friends still meet up often, in parts or all of them together. Tori is glad to still have everyone in her life and hopes it stays that way, though they all start making new close friends at college.

Tonight, the girls sleep over at Tori's house. They want to meet with the boys as well tomorrow for lunch. Robbie needs to work tonight though in his part-time job, Andre is on a relative's birthday and Beck decided to finally get started on a project for one of his classes, so it's just the girls for the night.

Tori tells Jade and Cat all about the situation now, as they sit on Tori's bed together.

"I don't know what to do," Tori finally ends.

Cat looks at her worried, feeling with her, while Jade rolls her eyes: "Just talk to him about it."

"I can't," Tori says though. If that would be so easy...

"Why?" Jade dryly asks.

Isn't it obvious? "Because he will consider me stupid for it and won't understand and then we will fight and..." She sighs. She doesn't want Mike to hate her. She does love him.

Jade rolls her eyes and turns away bored, grabbing some of the sweets they have spread on the bed.

Tori feels a little offended. Jade can't disregard her feelings like that. But she doesn't get it. She probably has never felt like this. "You don't know how it is."

Jade raises an eyebrow. "Oh, don't I? I haven't got a boyfriend, right."

"No, you do, but..." Tori says. Of course, she does but that doesn't mean she ever felt like she had to be careful what to say, that she ever was afraid that they could fight. They do fight of course, but they both seem comfortable with the amount and intensity they have at the moment. "It's so easy between Beck and you." It just works.

"That's why we were broken up a few times," Jade dryly comments.

"Never seriously," Tori says because they never have been. Except possibly a little during their big break-up two years back. But since then, they never have broken up again. So, she adds: "And not anymore for a long time."

Jade rolls her eyes yet again. "Because we work on it."

Okay, Tori has never heard that. She exchanges a look with Cat that tells her that she also has never heard about it before. It doesn't look like they actively work on their relationship. Well... Beck maybe, but Jade?

"How?" Tori asks curiously.

Jade shrugs. "We made a few rules we watch not to break."

Cat tilts her head and asks excited: "Like which?"

"Yeah, right," Jade answers.

"Come on," Tori says. "Now, you have to tell us."

Because she can't say something like that and then not elaborate.

"I don't," Jade says though.

Cat pulls a pout and Tori almost is about to copy her. Why does Jade has to be so stubborn?

Jade rolls her eyes again when neither Cat nor Tori say another word and possibly change the topic. "Really, just be honest with him and then you can ask him if he would like to continue like that or if he would rather have you suck it up if you feel bad. You can possibly make your own rules about it or whatever."

Just be honest with him... Tori doesn't think she can be. Not about this. She will just have to suck it up, because Mike won't understand her, even if she tells. She also wouldn't understand it if it would be the other way around, she guesses.

"My parents also have rules with my brother," Cat suddenly informs them and Jade says: "Of course, they do."

And just like that, they start talking about something else.

The conversation keeps being on Tori's mind though. She has never consciously thought about it whenever she had trouble with her ex-boyfriends but yes, Jade and Beck do have a somewhat working relationship for four years now already. Jade does know how it is to have a boyfriend. And now she says they even made rules and they put work into it...

She starts remembering their two TheSlap videos from back in time, where they said they would give relationship advice but never got around to it. Actually, she has even witnessed especially guys coming up to Beck and asking for his advice every now and then – but girls doing the same with Jade as well. And Jade also has always answered, maybe bored and annoyed, but she has. (Probably also, because only girls ever dared to ask her, whom she accepted around, whom she has done projects with and who never have once looked at Beck the wrong way.)

Why shouldn't Tori ask them for some advice now?

.

.

Next day at lunch, Tori also tells the boys of her dilemma.

Andre directly says that that's a tough situation. Beck meanwhile shrugs: "Just tell him. He'll understand."

Okay, he doesn't know if Mike will understand. They all have met him by now, but... well... Beck can't know him better than she does, can he?

But how weird that Jade and he directly tell her to just be honest. "Do you always tell each other everything?" she now questions.

Beck looks confused that she suddenly asks about him and Jade, but he shares a short glance with her, before he says: "Yeah, pretty much."

Really? They actually do? Though probably noone can keep Jade from telling the truth, even if Beck might be hurt or offended by it. But Beck also tells her everything?

Tori narrows her eyes, her curiousness sparked again. "Is that one of your rules?"

Now, Beck is definitely confused, looking back to Jade, who rolls her eyes annoyed and explains, so Beck understand why Tori suddenly speaks about supposed rules they have: "Tori also annoyed us with her problems yesterday and said I didn't understand because it's so easy between us. To which I replied that we have a few rules to work with."

Okay, Tori is glad that Andre and Robbie also look interested at that. They obviously also have never heard about it and are immediately a little curious.

Understanding dawns on Beck's face and he nods, looking back to Tori: "Well, it's true. And being honest with each other indeed is a rule. Otherwise, this wouldn't work at all." He makes a gesture between him and Jade, before he puts his arm around her, pulling her closer.

Jade turns to him and puts a quick kiss on his lips.

Beck means it and Jade also thinks so. They apparently just work because they are honest with each other.

"What if it... hurts the other person?" Tori asks though. She doesn't want Mike to feel bad because she feels unsure about meeting his family. And there are other situations she has already told a white lie to him to not hurt him. That's what you do, right?

Jade dryly answers: "Better being hurt once than being lied to constantly."

"There's some truth to that," Andre nods.

Tori sighs. "I don't know..."

But that's also the moment, their food arrives and somehow, they speak about something else afterwards.

.

o

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o

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They are fifteen and together for a few months now. They are on summer break and she has been in Canada with him for almost a week, to meet his family, to see where he was born and grew up the first few years of his life. Or, honestly, just to spend time with him.

He comes over the day after they got back and he smiles as he sees her in her room. "I've missed you."

She rolls her eyes, though she always loves to hear it. "We have just spent a few days with each other."

"I know," he says and starts kissing her.

She lets herself fall back onto the bed and he lets himself fall upon her, keeps kissing her, then goes down with his lips to her neck.

Okay, she knows that something is wrong. He does tell her he misses her sometimes, even if they have just been with each other. She often misses him quickly as well. It's a bit scary at times, how much they need each other.

He also is often this needy, presses himself this close, just kind of attacks her with kisses. But... it's a little different now. Maybe, a little too close, too... desperate?

"What's wrong?" she asks, pushing him slightly away.

"Nothing," he says and wants to get back to kissing her neck, but she pushes him fully off and draws back, sitting up.

"Beck. What is wrong?"

"Don't make me tell you," he says as his eyes shift down. He can't even look at her. This has to be something bad.

"Tell me," she demands.

He bites his lip and she wants to tell him again, when he finally spills the beans: "I fought with my parents again."

Of couse, he did. "Because of me."

Beck doesn't say anything, but that's answer enough. Well, it's also not like he ever fights with his parents about anything or anyone else. They don't like her and they don't want him to be together with her.

"What did they say?" she wants to know.

Beck looks uncomfortable. "My mother says you behaved awfully and... I don't know. She wants me to break up with you."

So, she directly said it again, instead of just giving him the feeling she wants him to break up.

"Great," Jade says, harshly. "And? What will you do?"

She feels terrible. She has really tried to behave well over the last few days. It's not like she likes Beck's family not liking her. Beck is close to his whole family and she wanted to make a good impression and finally wanted to ease his parents' thought. She held back most of her comments she had, she even made smalltalk with some of his cousins, she didn't... hog Beck or anything, so he was still free to talk to the rest of the family, though that mostly meant her sitting somewhere alone in a foreign country.

"I of course stay together with you," Beck says, intently, and then: "I'm sorry, but you made me tell."

Of course, she did, and she's glad. "You have to tell me stuff like this, Beck. I actually thought it went well. I don't want to be the idiot believing everything is fine when it isn't." She doesn't want to believe his parents are finally okay with her, that they possibly even like her a bit, while they hate her. How dumb would she sound, if another family member of his would then ask her how she gets along with his family, she would honestly answer 'fine', though his parents would answer differently and would talk bad about her behind her back. If Beck knows better, he has to tell her. "You need to be honest to me, Beck. About everything."

Also about his thoughts. She doesn't want to assume something and then be totally off about it. Not, when it's about Beck.

"Then, you need to be, too," Beck finally says. Jade doesn't understand. She usually doesn't lie. She hasn't just now.

At her confused face, he adds: "You don't want to be told stuff like this."

He wants her to tell him, to tell him that it hurts. Because she may be honest in general, but not so much about her feelings. 'Not honest' in the sense, that she doesn't talk about them much and prefers to not tell what she feels. But Beck also hasn't outright lied until she has asked him what's wrong. And she does expect him to directly tell her if something is up, without her having to ask.

"But it's the truth, Beck," she now bursts out. "Like I care what anyone thinks, I just need to know. I don't want to be the dumb, oblivious girl." Though if he also wants her to be honest... She can't expect him to be and then not do the same thing: "But they are your parents. Of course, it hurts. It really does."

She doesn't like herself how broken she sounds. Beck meanwhile promptly pulls her into a hug, and for a while, it's just that. Him and the warm embrace and nothing else. Him being there, even though his parents don't want him to be. Because he loves her and they won't be able to ever change anything about that.

After a while, he softly asks: "You really still want to know?"

They break apart slightly, looking into each other's eyes.

"I need to know. I need you to be honest," she affirms.

He puts his hand on her cheek, stroking it lightly. "How about both of us always will be honest to each other? No lies to make the other one feel good, no white lies. Except, you know, for good surprises." She has to smile. He continues seriously. "But also no hiding important stuff. Nothing."

She likes that thought. To never have to wonder if he means something, if he hides something from her or anything.

Though if that also means she always has to tell him of her feelings if it's important... Sometimes, she can't. Sometimes, she needs to deal with something herself first.

And... If Beck also absolutely can't tell something... As long as he doesn't pretend that everything is okay, but just tells her he can't tell her... That would be okay, wouldn't it be? At least, she wouldn't have to feel there's something going on with him constantly telling her there isn't.

So, she suggest: "We should keep the option though to be able to say we don't want to talk about something, at least in that moment, if we just can't."

Beck looks at her and finally smiles. "That's a good option."

And they meet each other for a soft kiss.

.

.

They don't always say exactly what they think or feel or mean, especially when they are fighting. But as they are otherwise honest with each other, they are easily able to read each other even in those moments, where one of them says something really bad.

They are both very honest people, so they generally tell everyone the truth. But they do hide some stuff from others, don't feel the need to talk about certain things to everybody, like about their parents. They do talk to each other, quickly knowing each other much better than everybody else.


	2. Understanding

Welcome back to the new chapter!  
Thank you again to alicheriee, H4ppyHippie, Rishini and Invader Johnny for the reviews! I appreciate them so much! :)  
Hope you'll have fun reading this chapter.

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Tori does end up telling Mike that she feels unsure about her meeting his parents. He acts way more understanding than she ever would've expected him to, suggests to push their first meeting back though he says he really would like her to come with him on that weekend, which funnily enough makes her more relaxed about it and she does go with him that weekend, he had initially planned.

His family is great, as are his old friends she gets to meet. Not everything goes smoothly though. They stay out long on Saturday with his friends and at one point she just wants to go back to his parents' place. She is exhausted and just wants to go back. But it's weird to go back there alone, right? She asks him to go with her and he promptly calls her ridiculous for the request and tells her he wants to spend more time with his friends.

But they can't be more important than her, right? This is a weekend for them, isn't it? And she would just feel uncomfortable in his parents' house without him. He should understand that, shouldn't he? She has never ever left him alone in her parents' home.

He says he doesn't meet his friends, with which he doesn't live together, all that often, which is stupid because he could come back here every weekend and could spend time with them much more often if he wanted to. Yes, two of them moved further away, but if they all want to spend time... And if he wanted to be with his friends, why take her with him then for this weekend? Then, they could've delayed it after all. To which he replies that he wanted her to meet all of his friends, which is why he wanted it for this weekend, but that that apparently was a mistake as they are now even fighting in front of his friends.

They are indeed fighting, until Mike finally says that he will go back to his parents' place with her then, but he isn't doing it happily or even understands Tori's point. And though they silently agree the next morning to just not talk about it anymore, to forget about it, it's still between them.

Tori of course tells Jade and Cat all about it, when she meets them a few days later, drinking a coffee together in their favorite coffee shop.

Cat promptly says that they should have a party soon – totally missing the point. Well...

Tori turns to Jade, definitely wants to know her point of view, especially with their last talk about relationships in mind. Maybe, Jade knows how Tori and Mike can get over that fight. Though... Jade possibly will just suggest to fight it out. That's what Beck and she probably always do.

She asks anyway: "What do you think?"

"Like I care," Jade answers.

"Come on," Tori says. "Give me some advice. I think he just wants to forget it and I want to do that too, but it's still there."

"Because you haven't actually resolved the fight," Jade answers, sounding a little annoyed.

Which makes sense, but: "So, we should talk about it again? I think we will just end up fighting again." Because she doesn't think Mike will suddenly understand her point of view.

"You don't have to talk about it," Jade says, rolling her eyes. "Beck and I resolve most our fight silently. I don't know how you can do it. But I'm pretty sure it helps if you try to understand his side."

His side?

Jade continues, noticing her questioning face: "You know there are two sides to everything, right? Just... Think of it as an acting exercise and try getting into his shoes. His thoughts, reasons or priorities don't have to make sense, but maybe they do."

Tori narrows her eyes. "You think he's right." Seriously? Is Jade on Mike's side?

"I'm not saying that," Jade easily claims though. "But he could have a point in wanting to stay with his friends. That doesn't mean I'm not on your side. We're friends or whatever, so if you want to, I'll definitely push him off of a bridge and bury his body. And if he's not trying to understand you as well, he's a big idiot who doesn't deserve you, but... you know... maybe you aren't seeing the whole picture and should try to."

Tori feels immensely soothed by Jade's words. It means a lot to her that Jade is by now able to say they are indeed friends and that she would kill for her, just as much as for Cat.

And it also makes her think. Until now, she thought more about the fact that Mike should understand her side. She hasn't really thought about his side. But, yeah. Maybe, she should try that and if she then would talk to him again...

"I'll try, thanks," Tori says and Cat smiles brightly: "So, are your problems solved?"

"I guess," Tori says confused and Cat claps her hands: "Then, let's plan a party!"

Tori has to laugh.

When they each go home later, she thinks about Jade again. About Jade and Beck. And she wonders if the two of them actually conciously do that with every fight, if they ever talked about it and made sure they both would do that.

.

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Beck isn't sure how the fight has started. Jade went to the restroom and told Beck to order for her as well. She didn't tell him what she wanted though, just that he should choose. He ordered a vegetarian salad for her and she pretty much exploded when she was back and their food came. She accused him of thinking she is fat, which is so not true. She just had said before that she was barely hungry and didn't feel much like meat or anything. And he knows she loves this kind of salad, she has ordered it before and obviously liked it. That's why he chose it. He thinks her body is pretty much perfect.

But she leaves the restaurant and he quickly throws money on the table for food they haven't even started eating yet, before he follows her. Why can't she just order something else if she doesn't want to eat that dumb salad? Why couldn't she have told him before what she wanted to eat, instead of getting angry at his choice afterwards?

She of course claims he should know her well enough to be able to order for her, which he is. He knows she likes that salad. But she now accuses him again and again that he thinks she is fat.

"Can we just go back and have a nice evening?" he finally asks, exasperated.

"Yeah, right," she says.

"You know I just paid for food we have never eaten?" he says. "If we go back, I'm sure..."

"Then go back," she spits out. "You can eat both your food and your salad. But watch to not get too fat eating so much."

They are at his RV now, were easily able to walk here from the restaurant. She is supposed to stay over, only for the third time ever. They are almost sixteen, have dated for over a year now and their parents just had to accept their decision of sleeping over. This night, Jade's mother is out of town. Jade has also stayed home alone before, but her mother always prefers if she is with someone over night. Apparently, she even likes it better for her to be with Beck over night than alone. Her grandparents didn't have time anyway today and she never stayed with her father over night since she was a little kid.

"I don't think you are fat," Beck says as he walks into the RV behind Jade and throws the door shut. "I already explained why I ordered what I did."

She finally turns to look at him again. "I'm so happy that you have such a good excuse ready. Whatever. Just leave me alone."

"You can't be serious. This was supposed to be a great night," he says.

"And I care so much about what it's supposed to be," she says sarcastically and gosh. Others would just suck it up for once, even if they wouldn't like something, to make way for a great time together. Especially with the prospect of them having to sleep in the same bed tonight. But Jade can't ever draw back even once, can never just accept something. He would be more than ready to just let it be for once, even if he is annoyed that they can't really go back to the restaurant just like that and he lost money because of that. But he can let the anger slide just this one time. She will never be able to do that.  
"Why do you always have to be so difficult?"

Her face hardens. "Yeah, fuck you, Beck!"

"You're unbelieveable," he says helpless, because why does she always has to lash out like that?

She crosses her arms in front of her chest, almost coldly now. "Good that you are never the problem."

"You always claim I'm thinking that. I am not," he says because he isn't. Though he doesn't know what he should've done this time to avoid this fight altogether. If he wouldn't have ordered anything for her, would have asked the waiter to come back when she is back from the restroom, she would definitely also have been irritated and would've claimed he doesn't know her at all if he can't even order for her. And he has put thought into her order.

"Yeah, right," Jade says again and suddenly turns around to her bag and grabs it as she says: "I think I will go to my father."

Something inside Beck falls. "You can't be serious." She can't prefer her father to him. And she tells him she wants to go to him rather than staying here? She doesn't even say she's going home and will stay alone then, but she goes to her father, who disrespects her?

"Watch me," she says, as she passes by him, going to the door.

Seriously? How can she be so ridiculous? Leaving because of this?

For a moment, he just wants to angrily retort, have just leave her even angrier, but... He doesn't actually want her to leave. They did want to have a great night together with that dinner in the restaurant only as the start. If she leaves now, they will probably keep fighting for a week, with both of them angry and disappointed that their night together was ruined like this.

So, he suddenly says: "Jade, please, stay."

Jade turns back around, does stay for now, but raises her eyebrows: "So we can keep fighting?"

"No," he says helplessly. "I don't want to fight."

She drops her bag and crosses her arms in front of her chest again. Okay, she also doesn't want to fight. But she seems more than sceptical, as if she expects him to say something she could be offended about again.

But he really wants to resolve this. "Why don't we try understanding each other?" Because she must be coming from somewhere. She isn't unreasonable. He just has trouble to understand her and thinks she's overreacting, which he often thinks. She obviously also isn't close to understanding that he also didn't mean anything bad by ordering that stupid salad for her.

She now snaps back an answer though: "Because you obviously don't want to try to understand me."

"I do," he protests. "Do you want to understand me?"

She doesn't say anything for a moment, but he's sure to see in her face that she does want to understand him. She also would prefer not to leave.

Finally, she shrugs, and also sounds almost a little helpless now: "Why is it so hard to understand each other, when we always understand the characters we have to act out?"

He snorts lightly. It's true that they both easily understand their characters. No matter whom they are supposed to play... they are both good at it. They are good actors because they do understand each character and their motives. Why is it so easy there and so hard between them? "I don't know."

Jade tilts her head slightly, her eyes showing that she has an idea, that she now slowly states: "Maybe, we should treat each other like characters."

He blinks. Okay. That could work, right?

Jade continues, when Beck doesn't say anything: "We could just do our fight over, acting it out as the other one. If we really do want to understand each other."

"Sure," Beck finally answers, though... He imagines acting out Jade and... he loves her, but if they start fighting now again, even as each other, they could make each other angry again, truly angry, and then he could overact her and actually hurt her with that. He could act her out in a way, like he doesn't actually see her, and she will believe that's how he does see her. Which could also be true the other way around. Jade likes to claim that he doesn't care about her. If she acts him out as if he doesn't... it will hurt him.

He honestly adds: "I'm afraid that could make it worse though."

Jade looks at him for a moment and he doesn't know if she understands why, but finally, she says: "I'm thinking of leaving your place for my father's. I don't think it can get much worse."

Okay, she's right there. That's probably how low they can get. Except if they break up. Beck doesn't want to break up. But... well, they'll see how it goes.  
"Fine, then."

.

.

It's tough at first to get into it. They truly just act out their fight, they just had, starting it all with that dumb salad. And the thing is... already claiming he himself ordered the salad because he thinks Jade is fat... saying it himself already makes him feel more with Jade than just hearing it out of her mouth. He still doesn't hink he could've handled the situation any better, but... maybe, she also got that impression rightfully.

And he thinks Jade kind of gets him as well, when she says it herself. The thing that he thought about his choice and that there was no way of avoiding this fight by just not ordering anything... he's pretty sure she gets it.

But they keep going, use some of the phrases they remember the other one saying to truly get it, to truly get to all the anger and irritation.

"This was supposed to be a great night," Jade just now says and Beck does feel like that's almost undermining everything he has said before. Like he's suddenly supposed to shut up about his feelings because of what they initially wanted, as if he should just pretend to be happy though he is not. Okay, that isn't what he wanted Jade to do. Yes, he thought that others often just suck it up and can still have a nice evening, but... He doesn't actually want her to pretend or anything. He doesn't want to say her feelings are nothing and she therefore shouldn't act upon them.

But it feels a little like it, now that he has to hear it himself and he shoots back like Jade did: "And I care so much about what it's supposed to be."

Jade promptly answers rather viciously exactly what he answered: "Why do you always have to be so difficult?"

Okay, that's unfair. Beck gets it. Still, Jade overreacted and he now does too: "Fuck you!"

Jade needs a moment after that, maybe realizing something, then she says like he did: "You're unbelieveable."

"Good that you are never the problem," he gives back as he remembers from her earlier. Which also is unfair and unfounded. He does never ever claim that and at least Jade also replies like he did: "I'm not thinking that." And she does seem to believe it herself. That he doesn't think that way.

He takes a deep breath, before he decides, before he pretends to want to leave: "Okay, I can't keep doing this. I do understand where you are coming from, Jade." Though he still feels hurt and irritated himself and doesn't think he could've acted better himself. He does get why she felt insulted and how they spiralled down again.

Jade crosses her arms in front of her chest again, but not defensively, but more to hold herself. "I do, too."

He sits down on the couch and she sits down next to him. They have moved around a little in the RV as they have reenacted their fight, of course haven't sat down during it though. Now, they are probably both a little exhausted. (And acting as Jade, Beck has felt more than once to leave the RV altogether.)

Jade now huffs, as she says: "It would be easier if one of us was right."

Beck has to laugh. He knows what she means. If one of them would've just gotten that their behaviour was totally idiotic and off, it would be much easier to make up. To resolve this in saying that they both had a reason to react the way they did, for talking to each other like that... well...

"I know," he therefore says, and then it's silent for a minute.

Well, but they probably have to agree that it just went awfully and Beck will possibly make Jade promise to never make him order food for her again without telling him explicitly what she wants.

Then, Jade suddenly says, quietly: "My dad always says I'm difficult."

Beck stares at her. She doesn't look back. "I didn't know," he honestly says. Gosh. How could he have said that to her? Well, and that explains why she was so much colder after he said that and why she even said she would go to her father, why she even thought about him. Did he seriously just act like her awful father?

She looks up with a shrug: "I never told you." But she's telling him now, because she got through their reenactment that he wasn't able to get her sudden and harsh reaction at that. It's never a nice thing to say, but this is worse.

"I'm sorry," he earnestly says. "You aren't. It was the situation that was difficult."

He takes her hand in his and she squeezes his.

Looks like the reenactment did help and did resolve something. They do understand each other better now, and even if neither has totally been in the wrong, neither has to apologize about the fight in general... it's fine. And he has learned to never tell her again that she's difficult – which he has done before, as he realizes now. She has always reacted harshly to it. He gets that now.

But it's fine. They are fine.

Beck has to make sure of that with the words she uses so often: "Say you love me."

She smirks as she responds: "Magic word."

He grins. "Please."

She smiles as well, beautifully, as she leans forward and kisses him, before she whispers: "I love you."

"I love you, too," he responds and they kiss again, before they stay close and just look into each other's eyes.

Only after a while, Jade says: "We are amazing actors, huh?"

Of course, he laughs.

.

.

They don't ever do something like that again. They don't actually act like the other person. But they do it in their minds. Each of them for themselves, not even talking about it. They try to think of the other one as a character and try to understand their reasons. It works for every one of their smaller fights, so easily. They barely ever have to talk about it any more to resolve anything, because they just both get it and it's fine. Their lips just meet for a kiss again and they get that the other understands and that's all they need.


	3. Acceptance

Welcome to this shorter chapter!  
Thank you so much to alicheriee, Invader Johnny, Mel, Rose-Aki and Rishini for the great feedback! All of you are awesome!  
Have fun reading!

* * *

Tori and Mike talk about their fight again and actually resolve it, both explaining what bothered them and finally understanding the other side.

Cat is still on about that party thing. She would really like to throw one – instead she organizes all of them going to one, which one of her new classmates throws.

That new classmate is celebrating her birthday in a big warehouse with good music and lots of alcohol. It's a mess, but also a lot of fun. They all have a good time, Tori has of course also brought Mike.

Just now, she's standing alone with Jade though. Andre has been with them a second ago, until some random girl has shot him a pretty smile, and he has promptly walked over to talk to her.

"Get her," Jade calls after him with a smirk.

Now, it's just the two of them, but instead of looking at her, Tori searches for Mike with her eyes. He's standing with Robbie, Beck and two strangers and just now laughs about something, Robbie must have said. Tori likes seeing him laugh. She likes seeing him with her friends. Okay, she likes seeing him in general.

"Watching your boy toy?" Jade pulls her out of the thoughts though. They are standing far enough from the closest speakers that they can actually almost talk normally over the music.

Tori smiles coyly. "Indeed, I am."

"No trouble in paradies anymore?"

Jade may sound sarcastic, but she's actually asking. She is asking if Tori and Mike are good.

"Yeah, no trouble at all," she answers, though... it's also not like it's good between Mike and her all the time. She loves him, but sometimes, it's not easy. Though they don't fight much and are generally happy with each other. She feels from time to time like they are still getting used to each other, as if they aren't working as perfectly as they should.

Jade of course claims to her saying there is no trouble at the moment: "Aw, too bad."

Tori shoves her playfully, which makes Jade even grin. Gosh, is Tori glad they are finally friends.

And now that they are talking about relationships anyway again... Tori and Mike don't have any definite problems at the moment, but... yeah, Tori wants to go the distance with him. And Jade has already gone quite a distance with Beck.

That's why she admits after all: "Well, it's not like we are happy all the time, but I think we manage very well. It goes much better than with my ex-boyfriends back in time." And then, she just asks: "But... Do you have any more advice on relationships?"

Jade raises her eyebrows: "What?"

"You already helped me out with Mike twice," Tori explains. "I'm wondering if you have any more advice for me?"

Jade seems rather sceptical: "Why are you asking?"

"Come on," Tori says, shoving her playfully again. "You are the one that reminded me that you have a very long relationship already."

"So?"

"So, I really love Mike and would like to be together with him forever." Jade slightly rolls her eyes at that. "Tell me just one more thing. Like what you deem most important."

"Yeah, right," Jade just says.

Okay. Maybe, it isn't right to ask her what's most important. Jade is still a pretty private person. For her to reveal what's most important for her in a relationship? Probably a no-go.

"Tell me at least something," she therefore says.

"Seriously?" Jade asks.

Tori nods. "Yes."

Jade looks at her for a moment, before she shrugs and easily says: "Don't expect him to change."

"What?" Tori asks confused.

Jade actually explains: "Many girls who asked me in school about their relationships mainly wanted to change their boyfriends. That's bull. You can't change another person. You can't pick someone to change them. Love them the way they are. You have to know yourself if you can accept their little quirks, but you can't count on getting them out of them and then start hating them if it doesn't work and they stay the same. With which I don't mean that they don't change. They will. Just not necessarily for you. And they also shouldn't have to."

Tori looks at Jade for a long moment. Huh. Well. She also doesn't want Mike to change. Though they are possibly a few little things she doesn't totally love about him. But yeah, she gets what Jade is saying. She doesn't have to love everything about Mike, but she also shouldn't expect him to change something about himself, wait for that change and eventually get angry at him for staying who he is. If something about him irritates her too much, it will never be his fault.

"Happy?" Jade now asks, sarcastically again.

Tori smiles. "I have to think about that one," she claims.

Jade rolls her eyes and Tori wants to tell her that she actually understands it and thinks it's smart, when Beck is suddenly with them.

A new song has just started and apparently, he likes this one very much and has immediately searched for Jade – or has known where she was all along and has just come over. He now offers her his hand either way and meanwhile asks Tori: "If I may interrupt and ask my beautiful girlfriend to dance?"

"Sure," Tori says when Jade has already taken his hand with an indeed very beautiful smile.

.

o

O

o

O

o

.

They are fighting again. They are a couple for a few months now and since they are a couple, they have been fighting about this. Their very first fight has been her accusing him of flirting with another girl and telling him that she won't have that anymore, now that they are a couple – after he has wanted to be exclusive after all.

He doesn't get it, because he doesn't flirt. It's never like he offers any girl to meet up or anything.

Jade says his smile already tells the girls they have a chance, which is ridiculous. Should Beck stop smiling? Should he stop talking to girls altogether? That's just stupid.

He talks to Sophie in front of his locker. She asks him with help for her English homework and he's happy to provide. Only for Jade to see them and send Sophie running with a threat.

Then, Jade turns back and keeps going to her own locker. Of course they fight. She can't forbid him to talk to someone.

They fight all through this and the next break and have just now found an empty classroom for the lunch break. Just to spend time, to enjoy each other, but she makes a snide remark again about earlier and he still feels her anger about his supposed flirting from earlier, and he has to call her out for it. She can't still be angry. It's ridiculous.

Promptly, they are in another fight, with her accusing him of flirting around once more.

"You are always flirting with everyone," she just now claims.

"I am not," he says. "Stop saying that!"

"I will stop saying that when it stops being true," Jade spits out.

Beck can't help but groans. "God. We can't keep doing this, Jade."

She can't always be like this, can she be? Their relationship will never stand the test of time if they will repeat this fight over and over again.

"Boohoo," Jade just makes. "Whatever."

And suddenly, she is past him and on her way to the door.

"Are you gonna leave again?" he asks angrily. She does that so often. Okay, he also leaves sometimes, when he just can't stand it anymore. But she does it even more often and sometimes, it irritates him so much.

"What if I am?" she says, but coming to a halt again, turning to him once more.

Okay, she's staying for now. And he has to reassure her: "Jade, I'm really not flirting."

"I'm seeing it," she says though.

But... "I'm not doing it on purpose." Maybe, he does flirt unintentionally. He doesn't know. He has never watched himself talk to anyone else. But if he does it without wanting to... then that's just his personality, right? He doesn't mean to hurt Jade with his behaviour.

"That totally helps," Jade says sarcastically, but she has to understand: "This is just the person I am, Jade."

This person that openly talks to people, that easily smiles.

Jade suddenly crosses her arms in front of her chest and presses her lips together, just looking at him.

"You can't expect me to change," Beck helplessly says. She just can't. He won't change anything about himself.

After another while, Jade finally says: "I don't. It's just..." She looks him directly into his eye and then decides: "I still hate to see it and you can't expect me to feel any different about it."

Okay. That's true. She understands that she can't expect him to change anything about him, to change his personality. But as much as his approach to other people is part of his personality, hating to see him like that with other girls is part of Jade's. It's weird but true. Which means they are not compatible, are they? If he flirts without knowing and she gets jealous so easily...

Though... As long as she doesn't expect him to change... He also doesn't per se expect her to change.

That's why he says: "I don't. I just don't like to see you this angry and... hurt."

He shrugs helplessly, taking a step toward her.

She slightly tilts her head as she claims: "I'm not hurt, just angry."

He can't help but snort. "That totally soothes me." He says it sarcastically, but funnily enough it soothes him a little. He always assumes Jade is also hurt when she gets this angry. But if it truly only makes her angry, if it doesn't hurt her...

Jade shrugs. "Just let me be angry, okay?"

Well, and Beck can do that. If she accepts him like he is, just gets angry seeing him in certain situation, but... doesn't expect him to change...

"Sure," he says. As long as she doesn't start hating him in her anger...

And... He won't change himself, but certainly enough... "I can try to watch myself a little." He doesn't think himself that he's flirting, but he can see a little for himself how far he actually goes, which touch he lets happen by which girl.

"I can try to not get too angry," Jade says with a shrug and uncrosses her arms, looks at him intently, then she asks: "Do you still love me like this?"

With the anger. Well... "I do. It's not like I enjoy seeing you like this, because I always think it must be hard on you, but... I don't have a problem with it." The thing is... quite the opposite goes for her anger in this case, her jealousy. "Your anger shows me that you love me. And it makes you the girl you just are."

She is this jealous girl. It also doesn't hurt anyone – if it's not actually as hard on her as he always assumed. If it's fine for both of them for her to be this jealous... What's the problem?

Jade rolls her eyes, while she actually says with a gentle voice: "The same goes for your dumb flirting. It annoys me like hell, but I guess that's who you are."

She takes a step closer to him and he does the same, so they are right in front of each other again now. They wrap their arms around each other as Jade says: "As long as you don't start hating me for getting angry with you for flirting, keep on going. Just don't overdo it."

That last one almost sounds like a tease and he smiles: "I promise, I will never flirt with another girl on purpose." Because he can easily promise that.

Jade tilts her head slightly, then: "And I will never kill anyone."

Okay, that's something. He already has to grin, when she adds with a smirk: "As if I would ever go to prision for you."

They share a long kiss, then another, before Beck earnestly says: "I love you."

"I know," Jade claims, kisses him again, before she says with a quiet voice: "I love you, too."

Beck smiles. "I know."


	4. Trust

Hello!  
I'm pretty excited about this chapter and at the same time I think it requires some sort of warning. You know that scene where Beck gives Jade a time-out? Yeah, I know there are some (or a lot?) of Bade fans who don't like that scene – I kinda do. But anyway... This might be able to explain that scene. Might. You'll see. I hope it'll make sense. But if you don't like that scene at all, it could very well be that you think of this as stupid. So, just a warning that... you know... this chapter is kinda about that. Feel free though to tell me if it doesn't work at all.  
A shout-out to Rishini who funnily started talking to me about that scene right after the last chapter. But this fic of course remains very much dedicated to alicheriee as a gift for her birthday. :)  
Also thank you so much to alicheriee, Invader Johnny, Rishini and Rose-Aki für your reviews!  
What else to say to this chapter? Oh, yes. A grandmother of Robbie's is mentioned. That's not his mamaw, whom we meet in Victorious, I talk about, but his other grandmother.  
Now hopefully a lot of fun with this chapter! Only one more and the epilogue left now. O.O

* * *

Two days after the party, Tori again spends time with Andre and Jade. They meet up for lunch after their classes and Andre tells them all about the girl he met at the party. Tori shares meaningful glances with Jade – they both know how Andre can be when he has a crush. Though Jade has never found out that Andre actually even crushed on her like this once.

Then, Andre asks Tori how it's going with Mike and tells her that he really thinks he fits into their group of friends, which Tori loves to hear. She talks a little about him, but of course has to think about Jade's relationship advice once more. Maybe, she could try to get some more out of her. Why not right now, as they are talking about relationships anyway?

She just wants to pose the question, when Andre's phone rings. He gets excited. He has started cooperating with a music producer, has just written a song, one celebrity possibly wants to take. That producer is now calling.

"I have to take this," he says and Jade says: "Pick up the call or they'll hang up."

It's true that it's already ringing for some time, while he has told them who it is and explaining everything they already knew.

Andre nods and quickly leaves their table as he picks up.

Jade and Tori look after them for a while and for a moment, Tori thinks about saying how exciting it is, but... they will definitely talk with Andre about all of it in a second, will hear some news then and she can still say how happy she is for him either way.

That's, why she's getting back to what she wanted to ask Jade anyway: "By the way... Any more relationship advice?"

Jade immediately gives an annoyed groan. "Ugh. You annoy me so much, Vega," she claims, but Tori long knows that that's not really true.

"Come on," she says. "You love me and you know it."

"Yeah, right," Jade answers, but her smirk tells Tori she is right.

Tori can't help but grin happily, as she asks again: "So... Any advice?"

Jade slightly shakes her head, as if she can't believe Tori. "What's with you?"

Tori easily says: "I already explained that I just want to be happy with Mike." They have talked about it at the party after all.

Jade furrows her brow. "Then don't think about what can go wrong and what Beck and I do to not have anything going wrong."

Okay, sure, that's true. And also some sort of advice by Jade. Tori shouldn't concentrate how easy relationships break apart and how she wants to go the distance with Mike so badly. She should just enjoy her time with him.

But she isn't necessarily only asking Jade to know how to make her own relationship better. She has taken the first two pieces of advice because of actual problems. She hasn't just asked to have help for her relationship on the party though. And also isn't asking it right now.

"Honestly: I'm also curious."

"No," Jade says in a mock voice as if she hasn't thought of that at all. Okay, obviously she has known Tori also is curious. Tori is always curious, that's the way she is.

She tries to explain: "It's just... I'm curious what you deem important. You and Beck. What you talked about or what possibly is an unspoken rule between the two of you or alike."

Jade raises her eyebrows slightly, just looking at her and Tori prompts her again: "So?"

Jade pretends to sigh, but then she actually gives another piece of advice, shares something else about her very own relationship with Beck: "Which Beck and I never talked about, but I'm sure he also keeps in mind... We trust each other that the other one has our best interest in heart."

Okay. Tori has never thought about that, but... yeah, of course it's important to trust each other.

Jade adds: "I know that Beck would never want to hurt me or humiliate me or anything. And that's important for me."

"I get that," Tori directly says. Because she already knows Jade well enough to know she puts trust above everything else.

It's interesting that she not just trusts Beck in the sense that he would never cheat on her, but actually trusts him to never purposely do anything bad to her.

She would even like to talk more about it, but that's the moment Andre comes back to their table, having an extremely bright look on his face.

So, she just quickly throws Jade a "thanks" for her honesty, before she puts all her attention on Andre.

.

o

O

o

O

o

.

Okay, this has to be a joke. Robbie is wearing a women's cardigan. And not even an insuspicious one. Like she cares if someone is wearing clothes meant for the other gender. Like clothes can have a gender or something. But this cardigan is a bright yellow with a few red dots that don't make any sense. They are not even in a special order or something, there just are some here and there.

Robbie can't come to school like this and expect Jade to not say something about it.

So, when she arrives at Beck's and Andre's locker where all three of the boys are standing, she has to ask him, without greeting any of them: "You seriously came to school dressed like this?"

Robbie immediately defends himself like he also does with the decoration of his locker: "It reminds me of happier times."

"You look like a clown," Jade says directly. "You get that, right? That you look like a clown."

Because this yellows with those dots...

"Jade," Beck says warningly, but Beck also has a sense of style and has to get this: "Seriously! Look at him!"

But Beck doesn't look at him, instead at her, so seriously. What's wrong with him?

She doesn't get to think about it any more, because Robbie defends himself again: "It was my grandmother's."

And what's that for an excuse? "And that means you should wear it? My grandparents have clothes and I don't wear them. You're so ridiculous."

"That's what I said," Rex comments.

Okay, it's weird that Robbie hasn't made Rex comment any sooner. Usually, Rex is right at it to make fun of Robbie.

But she certainly won't be sad about Robbie using that stupid puppet less. Now, she just snorts, before she tells Beck: "I can't believe you're friends with that weirdo. I'm gonna go to class."

With that, she leaves. She expects Beck to hurry behind her right away. They do have their first class together. And the bell also rings at that very moment.

But it takes a while, she is almost at the room, when he finally catches up to her.

He looks extremely serious. "Was that necessary?"

Gosh, sometimes he's so sensitive. They are a couple now for more than half a year and he knows this is the way she talks. And Robbie actually is able to take surprisingly much. She would've never guessed that, but he truly isn't hurt by too much, understands that she mostly doesn't mean things as harsh as she says them. He actually does understand her.

And he pretty much asked for her making fun of him with this, right? "If you saw his cardigan... Yes, it was."

"His grandmother passed away yesterday."

She immediately stops. Beck comes to a halt next to her.

She can't believe it. Seriously? His grandmother died? And he was wearing his grandmother's cardigan, which she just made fun of, even questioning his and Beck's friendship? Well, fan-fucking-tastic.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She can't believe, Beck let her run into that. She can't believe he let it happen that she hurt Robbie so much.  
"I tried to stop you," Beck answers irritated.

"You didn't," Jade says. "You just said my name. You always do that, even if what I say is totally fine." Because he does.

Beck is definitely angry that he's being accused now: "Maybe you should have watched Robbie!"

"He always looks like that," she says, though... she hasn't really watched him at all. She was too distracted by that dumb caridgan. "Gosh. How could you?"

Because obviously, she will have to apologize now. She has to find Robbie during next break and has to tell him she was dumb and she didn't mean it and that she obviously understands why Beck is friends with him, that she may think he is a weirdo but not in a bad way. That she actually thinks of him as a friend as well by now, no matter all the things she always says.

She doesn't want to say any of that. But like she has another choice. She will have to do it now. She does understand what she just did, considering Robbie's recent loss.

"How is this my fault?" Beck asks.

"You're my boyfriend. You are supposed to..." she starts and wants to tell him that he is supposed to stop her, to keep her from doing stupid things. Stupid things that result in her having to apologize or alike.

Beck interrupts her though: "And how would that go? Should I put you in a time-out? Spank you?"

She crosses her arms in front of her chest. Well... She also doesn't know, but he should find a way. "I don't care. But you should stop me if I overstep a line." That is his job as her boyfriend, isn't it?

"You should know that yourself," Beck says.

"Fuck you," Jade just spits out, before she quickly walks to their class.

.

.

Beck thinks about it. First, he's just angry at Jade, because this isn't his fault. It's not his job to watch what she says. It's not on him to hold her at bay or something. He's not like... her parent or something – not that she listens to her parents.

Isn't it enough that he keeps her from physically attacking someone when he can? He always does that, not just for the other person's sake, but mainly to protect her from suffering the consequences. Shouldn't that be enough?

But as he thinks about it, even just during the next class, but also over the next few days, after Jade has long had a personal talk with Robbie, which did him enormously good...

If he keeps her from the consequences from physically attacking someone, why not also keep her from the consequences from verbally attacking someone? If she oversteps a line with their friends, even she will want to apologize, though she hates it. It's a consequence she has to suffer through. Why not protect her from it when he can? She actually also always protects him from consequences. (She has once talked him out of detention after he got to class too late, because he overslept. – And she never even lied doing that. He still isn't sure how she did it.)

Jade also does protect him from embarrassment. She finds having to apologize embarrassing.

He also finds some things embarrassing. She has once kept him from auditioning in a costume, which he has deemed as great at the time – which the older student probably would have laughed at. She always checks his outfit if he asks her to, and his essays. Like everything he could embarrass himself with, she looks at and tells him if she would change something. He knows, even if she would find it funny with someone else, she would keep him from going to school in a stupid outfit or whatever. And not to keep her from embarrassment in association, but for him.

He also can be quite jealous regarding her, to be honest, though it only shows very rarely (as she also lets no other guy close enough). He doesn't like everybody to know how jealous he himself can actually get. He's somehow embarrassed by it whenever he doesn't feel it. Jade easily keeps it a secret and covers for him, whenever he gets all possessive over her.

And yes, of course, she should've known better herself with Robbie. The death of his grandmother was clearly visible in his face – he just told Beck and Andre about it right before Jade came along. But sometimes, when she gets into it... She just isn't able to see it. While she otherwise is attentive, she probably can miss things if she's in a run.

So, when he notices, she's not seeing the bigger picture and is about to overstep a line she can't come back from without apologizing... Maybe, he should then keep her from going there.

.

.

His decision is tested two months later.

Andre has written a very short script, he has let Cat, Robbie, Beck and Jade read through during lunch. They now talk about it, still eating, and yeah, it doesn't work. Andre isn't a playwright at all.

So, they make a little fun at him for it. They do make fun of each other in their group of friends. It's all light fun.

Just now, Jade says: "No, seriously, it doesn't make sense at all."

"I tried to go for mystery," Andre tries to explain.

Jade replies: "But mysteries also have to make sense. This is like the worst script I've ever read."

It also is the worst, Beck has read until now.

Now, Andre starts looking desperate though: "I will have to hand it in at the end of the day."

"Then better hope Gradstein has an accident, so he can't grade them after all," Jade says, still amused as she looks back to the copy of the script, Andre has given her and Beck.

Andre quickly asks: "Can you tell me how to make it better?"

"Yeah, right," Jade says though. "Nothing can make this desaster better."

Which is harsh, considering Jade probably would be the only person between all of them, who could help the best with scripts. But that's also a typical reaction for Jade. It's nothing too serious. Not to mention that it's not of much use to still do something right now. Andre could only ask Gradstein to get another day, or to be able to hand in a second script later on. Surely, Jade would be ready to help out a little then.

Andre has to know that. But when Beck looks at him, he sees that Andre is really done about this. He feels bad enough as it is for some reason, and this time, it gets to him.

"Jade," he therefore says warningly, but Jade barely looks at him, when Andre already says, sounding devastated: "I worked on this the whole week."

Jade doesn't hear the sound of Andre's voice and snorts: "I could've written this in an hour. You have no talent at all for this, do you?"

Okay, and he doesn't know what's up with Andre, who also is able to take a lot. He isn't able to take it right now. It hurts him and if Jade continues... yes, she will have to apologize. She will have to make it up to Andre.

"Jade, stop it," he cuts in, strictly. "Now."

Jade looks at him, almost confused.

"I mean it," he states clearly and hope she knows what that means. That he's doing what she asked of him two months ago. That she is damn close to overstepping a line with Andre.

Instead, she now gets angry at him. "Asshole," she spits out, grabs her bag and food and leaves them.

Beck only shortly looks around his friends, who look back in surprise, then he takes his own things and follows her.

She throws the rest of her food away on the way inside and he copies her and only catches up with her when they are in the hallways. Of course, there are other students around, but that never stops them from fighting. It's almost deliberating, to just be able to let it go everywhere.

"You told me to do that," he says as he stops her by grabbing her arm.

She slaps his hand away, as she angrily answers: "I can still be angry with you for it. Calling me out like that in front of everyone." Because she feels like she got humiliated by him.

But... Seriously? She does get that she asked for being stopped in a situation like that two months earlier, doesn't she? "You wanted me to do it!"

Jade purses her lips as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. Only after a moment, she says quietly: "Well, better you doing that than me having to go apologize to one of them."

So, she does understand that he did it for her, that he had her best interest in heart. And for herself, this is less humiliating than her having to apologize to their friends or anyone else afterwards. And she trusts him to only use it if he deems it really necessary, to only then call her out like that.

"Good," he says and she looks at him for another moment, before she whispers: "Say you love me."

He smiles and wraps his arms around her. "Magic word?"

"Please," she breathes and before he kisses her, he says it, in earnest like always: "I love you, Jade."


	5. Staying

Hello again!  
In this chapter, Jade doesn't actually give a real piece of advice, but just tells Tori about something, she and Beck do. But guess what? The epilogue might hold another piece of advice. ;) Yeah, this is the last chapter. I'm definitely at it to get done with the epilogue until the weekend as well. Though I would already love to hear what you think about this chapter. :)  
Thank you to alicheriee, Invader Johnny and Rishini for the reviews!  
Have fun with this chapter!

* * *

They have another evening just with the girls a week later, again at Tori's house.

Jade, funnily enough, arrives before Cat. That usually doesn't happen because they often come together and otherwise, Cat is always so excited to meet up, that she shows up way early.

This time, Cat has forgotten that her lecture was moved back an hour. She planned to directly come over from college – now, she will come at least half an hour late.

When she texts Jade and Tori that, Tori expects Jade to text her that she will also come over later then, but she shows up at the agreed time.

They talk about their day and it's after they just sit in silence for a while, that Jade asks: "Not curious anymore about relationship advice by me?"

Oh, wow. Tori truly hasn't thought about that right now, but does Jade asking her mean that she has some more advice? Why else would she suddenly start with it?

"Have any more?" she therefore asks curiously.

"No," Jade answers though. "You just have annoyed me so much with it lately..."

Okay, that would be a reason for Jade to ask. Tori answers honestly: "Well... I really love to hear you talk about you and Beck."

Though she also has thought more about the pieces of advice, Jade has given her. She has thought them through and now has to admit: "Though... You always only told be these broad rules. Like trust and acceptance. Of course they also are the most important things, but I would like to hear more specific rules."

Jade snorts. "Pfft. Those already are some Beck and I specifically made or thought of or whatever."

Tori gets that. Of course, Jade and Beck made these rules or whatever you can call them, specifically for them. They never sat down and talked about what others do in their relationships. They just went with the way the situations arised.

Anyway... While Tori thought through the advice Jade gave, she thought of another broad rule she imagines many couples to have: "Have you ever thought about a rule like 'never go to bed angry'?"

Jade cocks an eyebrow. "You have met me and Beck, right?"

Okay, yeah. That doesn't sound like a rule for them. Tori has to admit though: "I would like that rule, I think."

Because Tori doesn't like long fights with Mike. She hates it. She generally hates fighting and she hated how she and Mike both got to bed disgruntled when they visited his parents after fighting about him wanting to stay with his friends. She didn't sleep well at all. Not to mention that she noticed that she generally doesn't like not resolving a fight right away. It just feels like... bad karma in a way. She doesn't know how to describe it.

Jade rolls her eyes. "Then ask your boy toy to make it."

Okay, it's true. Why shouldn't she? She could talk to Mike about it, about how she would like it.

For a moment, Jade just looks at her, before she says: "You know, we have enforced a somewhat similiar rule after we got back together the last time as well. And that's one really specific to Beck and me."

"What is it?" Tori immediately asks excited.

She almost expects Jade to smirk and tell her she will never say, but Jade seems to be in a good mood and actually tells: "If one of us feels the need to have the other one stay with them while we're fighting, they can say so and the other one won't leave."

Wait. So, sometimes, one of them wants the other to stay though they are in a bad fight and the other one wants to leave? And then, they will stay? Does that mean... "So you keep fighting?"

"No," Jade answers though and even continues: "It usually happens in the evening or night, when we fight. And then, one of us wants to leave angrily and the other can say they should stay and they will. We won't speak another word but still..."

She shrugs and Tori tries to wrap her head around this: "You sleep in the same bed?" Though they are still angry with each other and in the middle of their fight? Not that she and Mike didn't sleep in one bed after their fight at his parent's home, but... they both pulled themselves together and already pretended a little that nothing was wrong when they got ready for bed. She can't imagine Beck and Jade ever doing something like that. They both aren't into pretending everything's okay.

"Yeah," Jade answers and Tori checks: "So you keep together, though you're angry?"

She can't imagine how that works for them.

Jade easily explains though: "For Beck and me, the fighting only gets really bad, like... break-up bad, if one of us feels lonely or apart from the other one, so..."

Oh, wow. Tori hasn't known that. She hasn't known that Beck and Jade's fighting gets worse when they feel lonely – and that they themselves figured that out and found a way to avoid it.

"You really have this figured out," Tori notices. This just shows it. It shows that Beck and Jade really know what they are doing with their relationship. And that they also want to go the distance and plan for that.

Jade shrugs and easily says: "We are together for four years."

.

o

O

o

O

o

.

They talk about their fighting after they get back together. They both know that one of the main reasons, it has gotten as bad as right before their big break-up, was because everybody else thought they wouldn't last and it got into their heads. They don't want to let that happen again, and don't need to talk about that.

But as they bickered today, not even a week after they got back together, they both have held back and they don't want that. They actually know that them holding back also can make it worse. If they hold back, it will bottle up inside of them and they could explode and then, there could be such a big fall-out that they will never be able to recover again.

So, they need to assure each other that their normal way to fight is fine. And they need to agree on how to stop when it isn't fine anymore, what to say then so the other one understands.

They lie together in Beck's bed, spooning, while they talk about it. Finally, Jade says: "It never went too far for me. Sometimes, also before, it just felt bad to be alone afterwards. That made it worse."

When she or Beck left angry, she suddenly felt sick and like she needed to see him. But she has never felt like she just could go back or draw Beck into a hug while they were in the middle of a fight. And if there's one thing that always makes her anger and hate and everything worse, it's loneliness. Well... Anger and hate do protect her.

"I know that feeling," Beck gives back softly. "But we can't say we don't leave the room anymore until we finish fighting, can we?"

"We can't," Jade immediately says, almost laughing a little. They are both hard-headed and can fight for days. They also sometimes make out right in the middle of it (angrily then, which always makes it exetremly passionate) but either way... That's how they are. And sometimes, one of them does need to leave the room, before the words get too harsh (and their harsh words are already those, others could and would never say to each other). They can't always fight it out right there and then.

Beck presses a small kiss into Jade's neck, then: "Maybe, we can enforce a system, where one of us can ask the other to stay if needed. It's not like the feeling is always there, is it?"

"It isn't," Jade agrees. "I guess it's possible. And if the other one doesn't desperately need to get out, they can stay. But we won't continue fighting then, will we?"

Beck answers: "We won't. We could both act like the other one isn't there. But at least, the one of us who needs it, has the other person around. I think that will already do a lot."

Jade also thinks so. It will already do a lot. She guesses they can try that. She would be happy to be able to avoid that sickenly lonely feeling from now on, she sometimes has after fighting with Beck and being alone after that.

She doesn't say anything more to it, but her pressing closer into Beck is answer enough.

.

.

It's months later that Beck and Jade fight in the RV (it has somehow started with a play Cat has written and them interpreting a scene differently, that probably has no sense at all, and has quickly spiralled without reason).

Jade originally has wanted to stay over. It's already late, but she definitely doesn't feel like staying anymore now.

So she spits out: "You're an ass. I'm leaving."

She's at the door, stomping angrily, when Beck suddenly says, more quiet than everything he has said before: "Stay."

Jade spins back around to him, angrily, wants to ask him who he believes he is to command her to stay here while she's angry, who he believes he is to command her to do anything at all. Then, she sees his face, the look in his eyes, and her own face softens.

Okay, this is it. This is what they have talked about months earlier. None of them have used it until now, but they also haven't fought all that much. (Bickered, sure, but they are always quick to come around from bickering – and it amuses them more than it makes them angry.)

Beck can't have her leave now. He needs her to stay.

And while she still feels like leaving, she huffs: "Fine." And she walks back into the RV, dropping back down on the couch and pulling out her phone. She won't deal talking to him though. Not right now.

He sits down on the couch next to her after a moment, but not close enough to touch, and uses his laptop. After a while, she turns the TV on and they both watch without talking. They often watch without talking, usually in each other's arms though. But it's also not a problem like this. She might still be angry at him because of the stuff he said, but... she still loves him around. As long as he doesn't annoy her any further, she can definitely handle this.

They also move over to the bed without a word. They are well in sync with their bedtimes, almost always can go to sleep at around the same time, and know how the other looks and behaves when tired.

They both lie down on Beck's small bed and Jade feels Beck watching her. Okay, there is one more thing he needs to feel totally safe and not-lonely after their fight. And she loves him and can always be physically close to him. So, she promptly moves even closer to him, lies her head down on top of his chest. He immediately puts his arms around her, pressing her close, dropping a kiss on her hair.

She feels how he relaxes under her and feels relieved herself.

While they are getting ready for the day the next morning, they continue their fight, but it doesn't get as bad, as it could've easily gotten with Beck feeling lost after a lonely night, they know.

.

.

A month later, they have another big fight. They fight the whole day, and then also the next. First in school, but they also meet up with their friends that afternoon, which they already planned the week before. They just can't stop themselves, pull themselves together as much as they can, only to totally loose it again, when everyone wants to go home anyway.

Jade says some really nasty things – and also gets some thrown to her head by Beck.

Now, she's home, alone in her room. She was online for a long time, tried to forget about it, before going to bed, but... it doesn't work. She can't concentrate and she feels weird inside. Not like yesterday, enraged and angry. But a little empty and... lonely. Well, this is it for her.

Back in time, she would've gone to bed like that, and would've woken up being even more angry at Beck for making her feel like this. This time, she asks her mother to drive her to Beck's.

Her mother is still up and watching TV. And of course, she needs her car in the morning, so Jade can't just take it. Well, if her mother won't drive her, she just will take it. She threatens with it and her mother knows, Jade totally would do that, would find the key during night and would take it. Or she would walk to Beck in the dark, which isn't safe. So, she does drive her.

Jade waits for her to leave, because she knows Beck won't be happy to see her, as they are still fighting, and she doesn't need her mother to witness their exchange.

She already notices that the light in the RV is still turned on and tries to open the door, only to realize it's locked.

"Open up, it's me," she demands as she knocks.

It doesn't take long for Beck to open, his face hard, obviously either still angry or just having gotten angry now by hearing her voice in front of the door.

"Came here to scream some more at me?" he asks.

As if she was the one screaming at him. Well, she did, but he started it.

She wants to spit that at him, but she tries to concentrate on the reason she is here: that awful feeling inside of her.

With that in mind, she pushes him aside and walks past him into the RV, as she tells him: "I came because I will stay over."

"What?" Beck asks irritated, probably thinking he must have misheard.

Jade turns around to him and they look into each other's eyes. Jade doesn't know how much Beck can see in her eyes. She still is angry at him as well after all. But she sees how his jaw harden, before he says: "Fine. But I will finish up watching that episode."

"Like I care," she says, because she doesn't.

He sits back down on the couch, from where he has watched TV, already in his pajamas though.

She makes herself ready for bed, before she lies down in his bed, breathing in his scent, as she pushes her face in his pillow. God, that makes her feel unbelievingly safe. His scent but also everything else. Him having her here though he's angry. Them being able to do this. Them understanding how dependent each of them can be on the other one.

She closes her eyes and it doesn't bother her in the slightest that the TV is still running – and not even that Beck is watching one of those shows she considers stupid. Though, of course she would still wish to feel Beck. But this is already good enough. And he will join her soon, she knows.

The TV is still running when she feels him jumping over her, lying down on the bed behind her and spooning her. He puts a kiss on her neck and she presses herself against him with a smile. Apparently, he will keep watching the show from here, has turned the TV back to the bed, to where it is usually turned anyway.

God, despite their fight, she loves him so much. And everything inside her feels safe and warm and wonderful.

.

.

It happens every now and then. Not too often. One time, he even texts her to come over really late and she actually does as she gets what that means. It's weird and... beautiful in a way. It's easier when they live together. Sometimes, they sleep in different rooms when they fight (most of the times, Beck having to take the couch but they chose one that's actually quite comfortable – and it happens that Jade then actually joins him on the couch in the middle of the night). At other times, they directly sleep in their bed together anyway and the one who needs it, just starts cuddling up, and the other cuddles back. It takes a lot of the stress and the anger. It always makes them feel safe and secure in their relationship.


	6. Epilogue

Welcome to the epilogue and therefore the end of this fic.  
Thank you to Rishini, Invader Johnny, Rose-Aki and alicheriee for the reviews on the last chapter - and thank you for the reviews in general! Also thanks to everyone, who favorited or followed this fic; or just read at all. I hope you enjoyed it and would always love to hear back from you. :) A special thanks and shout-out once more to alicheriee and another (this time belated) happy birthday to you. Hope you'll also enjoy the epilogue of your gift. ;)  
Yeah, about the epilogue: It will jump right into the situation we stopped at the chapter before (with Tori and Jade). So, Jade is still visting Tori, they are waiting for Cat, and talking about relationships.  
I hope I managed to... like... top the fic off in a nice way, so it all makes sense. Enjoy either way!

* * *

"I hope Mike and me also will stay together at least for four years and will know as much about ourselves, each other and our relationship," Tori says.

Jade just slightly rolls her eyes like she does, as she eats some more of the sweets, Tori has of course had ready again for the two of them and Cat.

Well... Anyway... Tori continues: "I will also watch all the things you said. You know... I will try my best to be honest with Mike and to understand him and to accept him the way he is. And I of course trust that he never wants to hurt me and will try to remind myself of that whenever necessary. And I'll never go to bed angry." She grins as that last one was of course not actual advice by Jade. She never said she would implement that rule in her place. However, she told Tori to talk to Mike about a rule like that if she wanted it.

Jade doesn't smile but furrows her brows: "You do get that I never actually told you to do all that, right? I never told you how to live your life. You asked what you should do with those first two things and I told you how I would do it and how I indeed do it with Beck. You are different than me, your boy toy is different than Beck. You should just get to know what you want yourself and communicate that to him."

Okay, that's true. Jade has always kind of told her that Tori should talk to Mike about what they want for their relationship. That they should agree on their own rules.

And she probably should. Though every time she thinks about it... When she was honest about her not being sure if she wants to meet his parents, she still didn't talk to him about how they will handle honesty in the future. It just felt awkward. And she still thinks it's a little weird to just talk about stuff like that. Even if it would come natural, a conversation like that...

"I would just wish that we could make it work, without having to talk about it," she honestly says, because she always imagined that good relationships worked like that. Like a fairytale, the boy just knowing every one of her thoughts, of her wishes, of her desires. "You know... Sometimes, it's not all good between Mike and me and I would wish he would just get what I need."

Tori doesn't know if Jade will ever understand what she means with that. If Jade ever imagined a relationship like that – and if Beck actually isn't able to read Jade like a book.

Jade answers: "Some things, he will get. Others he won't. You have to know that relationships do mean work at times." She looks at Tori for another moment and then shrugs slightly. "Though I also wouldn't want to be together with Beck if the work outweighed everything it gives me."

That's of course also a perspective. Yeah, Tori doesn't like the idea at all to have to put work into it. That's not how 'true love' is portrayed. But yes, if she gets more out of the relationship than she has to give for it... it's still worth it, isn't it?

Jade isn't finished yet: "You love him and he loves you, right? That's worth a lot. Appreciate that." She puts emphasis on her last words, as if to tell Tori to stop worrying, to stop thinking about how sometimes, it's tough with Mike and her, how they aren't always just happy with each other, how she wants to go the distance with him so badly but doesn't know if they will be able to.

She should probably appreciate the good times much more. She just has this talent to obsess over every bad moment after Ryder, but especially after Steven. She already has dated such idiots, whom she has trusted so quickly, that it's hard now to forget.

She likes this advice, definitely. Appreciating that they do love each other. Because they do. She knows Mike also loves her.

And with that secure feeling, she of course is able to be curious once more: "Do you appreciate that you and Beck love each other?"

She doesn't know if Jade will answer that in earnest – she does, with the smallest smile: "Every time, I'm with him."

That's also the moment, the doorbell rings. Luckily before Tori can make a noise in awe, disgrunteling Jade again. That's finally Cat showing up.

.

.

They spend a long evening with each other and afterwards, Jade drives to Beck's RV.

The lights in the RV are all out, but she has told him she would possibly come by. She spends more and more nights in the RV. They want to move together soon, still look for a cheap apartment though and for part-time jobs that won't interfere with college.

Anyway... There is only one key for the RV, but that's why he said he would just leave the door unlocked, so she could come in, even if he was already asleep.

He is indeed already sleeping when she comes inside. She doesn't turn the lights on to not wake him up. She knows her way around the RV anyway and in the dark as well, so it's not a problem.

She gets herself ready for bed in the small bathroom, before she quietly gets to the bed.

Beck hasn't awoken before, but moves now as she lies down next to him. She smiles as she lies down in a way that they are turned to each other, and takes his arm and puts it around herself.

He makes a small noise and then his lips are already searching for hers without him even opening his eyes.

They kiss, then he whispers still half-asleep: "How are Cat and Tori?"

"Like usual," she just answers.

Beck kisses her again, before he checks sleepily: "Had fun?"

"Mhm," she makes. She had fun, but just know she remembers her talk with Tori before Cat arrived.

She takes his face into her hands as she kisses him again, then she breathes: "I love you, Beck. I love you so much." And she does appreciate it. She appreciates that she can have this deep feeling for someone, that it almost gets deeper every day. She appreciates that Beck also loves her, that he cares for her. She appreciates that he's the one person who deserves to be loved by her like that, that he deserves her trust and love. She appreciates that life has brought them together, that they can lie here together, that she can look into his face, can touch him with her hands, can feel his warmth next to her. That this is real and it's proven real so easily every time she's with him.

Now, he finally opens his eyes with her telling him she loves him like that. Well, she sometimes does that, just in the middle of the night, in his arms, where she feels most safe.

He smiles, kisses her again, before he earnestly answers: "I love you, too."

She feels her heart aching beautifully like it sometimes does when he tells her those words. Because she knows he means it, that he loves her just as much as she loves him. There is nothing greater in the world.

And yeah, though it means work at times, though they have their fair share of trouble, Jade appreciates their relationship very much. She appreciates their love for each other. She appreciates that both of them actually fell in love with each other, that this isn't a one-sided thing, but that they both feel so deeply about each other. How unlikely is that? How unlikely is it that between the whole world population you and another person fall in love with each other? Even though, people claim to fall in love all the time, it's special, isn't it? To find someone you truly love, who loves you as well?

If you find something like that, you've already got so much. And Jade guesses, to bring that to your own mind every now and then, to appreciate it, does a relationship good and can be an important part of it. It definitely puts things into perspective from time to time.

Jade kisses Beck again, the young man, whom she loves and who loves her, more than anything.


End file.
